Three days after their arrival at the Snape house, Harry encountered his first real problem. It was not related to Snape or his past, instead it took the form of a jump rope. The discovery had been by accident and little did Harry know how completely it would transform his life.

---

Harry thumbed through a copy of Magical Application of Muggle Artifacts. He had been skimming through the different sections of Snape's library for several hours now and found nothing that interested him. Several books on defensive spells had been tempting, but with there no longer any reason for him to learn advanced fighting techniques, he had passed over them. His dream of being an aura was dead, he knew now that he never wanted to use another unforgivable. Like it or not, that possibility would have to be faced if he chose to work in wizard law enforcement. He was unprepared to ever be forced into that situated again.

He continued reading the book. A built in ladder had given him access to the highest shelves, he sat on the top rung with the book propped up on his knees. It was only vaguely interesting. He found one chapter in particular that he had liked and decided to recommend to Hermione - that is, if she had not read it already on her own. He smiled at the thought of his friend. He had seen neither Hermione nor Ron since summer break. That seemed like a lifetime ago.

Since his arrival at the Snape house, Harry had received no contact from the outside world and he was starting to wonder what was happening in the rest of the Wizard world now that Voldemort was gone. Dumbledore had seemed certain that things would be very different. Harry figured that a reorganization of government power was just the first step.

He closed the book and replaced it on the shelf. Thoughts of the future consumed him and he sat on the ladder, starring out at the books across from him. If there were no place for him anymore in the wizard world, what would he do? What cause would he have to continue on in a wizard education if he would have no need to use it later? For the first time since his eleventh birthday, Harry Potter did not know if he wanted to live in the world of magic for the rest of his life. He could still go to a muggle college and have a life where he was not a savior, but just a normal person. If there was anything that the teenager craved it was to be considered normal. No more dark lords to fight, no more dragons or Death Eaters, just Harry Potter.

As he sat there thinking this over, Harry heard a rustling on the shelf opposite his position. He looked for the cause of the noise and saw thin, brown leather bound book on a high shelf on the far wall. It was shivering between two stationary books; a continuous low moan came from it as it shook in place. Harry cocked his head to one side and watched it for a few seconds. This was far from the first magical book he had come in contact with - the Monster Book of Monsters being one example of his prior experiences.

Curiosity got the better of him and the boy climbed down the ladder and moved it over to the opposite wall. He ascended to the level that the book was on. Reaching forward carefully, he drew it out. At the touch of his fingers the book stopped moving. The lack of movement was almost as disconcerting. Harry turned it slowly, being careful to keep it away from his face, and read the title aloud.

"Master Your Future: Don't Fall Victim to Doubt. That sounds like something that could come in handy - if it's not a load of crock." He said to the book.

Opening it, he read the preface at the front of the book. As his eyes skimmed over the text, a voice spoke out of the book and read aloud what he was reading. It was a man's voice.

"Are you searching for a true sense of yourself? Is your magic alone not giving you the fulfillment that you desire? Do you feel yourself needing more? If you have identified with one or more of these situations, then this book is right for you. Master Your Future: Don't Fall Victim to Doubt is a book created for those of us who do not have a set future plan. It shows you how to use your magic and your natural talents - be they hidden and unused or cultivated and sophisticated - to better yourself. When you have finished this book, you will be a more complete person, because everyone needs a plan for his or her future. In order to Master Your Future, you must know yourself."

Harry paused in his reading to think about this. Did he really know himself? His instinctive answer would have been "yes" before he killed Voldemort. Never in a million years had he believed himself truly capable of murder, but that personal assumption had been proven fatally wrong. His green eyes found the book again and he continued to read, getting caught up in the magic words and narrative voice.

"With this book in your hand, you will be able to take control of your life. By embracing your magical as well as your human abilities. If you want to make a personal change, read this book with an open mind and a set will. This book cannot change you, it can only show you ways in which you can change yourself and in the process improve your chances at a brighter better future."

Harry smiled at this promise. A better future was something that he wanted for himself. No matter what it took or how long he had to search for the answers, the boy decided right then and there that he would regain control of his life. There would be no more Dumbledore’s or Uncle Vernon’s, only his own conscience and his own choices.

---

Severus studied the potion brewing in the cauldron that he stood over. He frowned.

"Too many eyes again." He muttered in disgust.

This was the third potion of the day that he needed to redo. Thoughts of that Potter child refused to be ignored. Per his order, Honey had stocked the upper bathroom cabinet with Dreamless Sleep. So nightmares should no longer be a problem, but there was still the fact that the boy did not have a meaningful pastime. Honey had reported back that Potter was in the still in the library. The boy had been going there after breakfast each day and staying until dinner. Neither of them went to the dinning hall for lunch, both being too busy at their different activities.

"Honey, I need you here." Severus called out. When the elf appeared, he said. "Bring Potter down here, I wish to speak to him."

Honey bowed low until her long nose scraped against the floor. "Honey will find master Potter."

When she left Snape turned back to his ruined potion. With an abrupt wave of his arm and several Latin words, the cauldron, ingredients and bench were all magically swept clean. He straightened his robes and tried to remove the worst of the stains, but potions were notoriously hard to clean of materials because of the magical properties within the mixed ingredients.

With a growl of disgust he gave up and waited for he boy. He mentally cleared the rest of the day so that he could help Potter find some satisfying pastime that did not require adult supervision. While he was surprised at the youth’s dedication to his studies, he felt that this was not healthy for a young man. He did not feel it wise to allow the boy to be left alone with his own thoughts so soon after the events at Hogwarts.

Nightmares were just the beginning of the fallout from such a destructive act. Severus knew from personal experience just how horrifying it could be to feel the Killing Curse flow through ones body and strike the fated object of your rage. Severus closed his eyes and rubbed his forehead as he tried to forget some of his more shameful murders. Guilt flooded through him and he wrapped his arms around himself in a self-hug. It did not feel like he would ever be whole, perhaps that was why he had grown so worried about Potter. He did not want anyone else to have to go through the self-hate and doubt that he fought each day of his life. No one - especially not a child - deserved to feel this way.

---

Harry knocked politely on the lab door and waited for an invitation before entering. Snape leaned against a long wooden bench that served as a brewing table and he motioned for Harry to choose from one of three high wooden stools set around the bench. The boy took the one closest to the door. Years of being abused and hurt had made him cautious; this survival instinct had saved him on more than one occasion when Voldemort's followers had conspired against him.

He waited, sitting on the stool, for Snape to tell him why he had been summoned. The book he had been fascinated with was tucked away in his room, safely replaced by a magical replica that Harry had put on the shelf. He did not want Snape to know about what he had found it was too good. Everything good got taken away by guardians, that much he knew and with it being Snape this seemed almost certain. The man may be caring for him, but that did not change that fact that Harry still had reservations when it came to adult figures in his life.

"I wanted to ask you something." Snape said. "You have not mentioned a need for shopping - with summer here I thought that you might want to get some cooler clothing." He looked pointedly at the t-shirt and dark jeans that the boy wore. "If that, however, is not the case, you might still need other things. I am willing to pay for them until such a time as you have access to your bank vaults."

Harry's mouth fell open. "YOU are going to pay for my stuff?" He asked incredulously.

"Of course." Snape replied. He appeared offended by the insinuation.

"I just meant, you don't have to, you know. I could owl Dumbledore and have him send me the money."

"That will be unnecessary. If there is anything that you require I have planned the rest of the day so that we can do any shopping you need. I apologize for having put it off for this long." Snape said.

Harry did not know what to think of this offer. Never before had he been given reign to buy anything that he needed, he had always had to make due with whatever he was given. The boy was not even sure if he really knew how to go shopping for necessary items. He knew that there were some things that he needed - parchment paper and some new clothes among several other things - but he did not even know his own clothing size. He felt a wave of embarrassment wash over him and a blush traveled up his neck. He ducked his head.

"I would really appreciate it, sir. I have some things that I do need to buy." He paused while he worked up the courage to ask the one thing he had been wondering all day. "Can I get a subscription to the Daily Prophet - I'd just like to know what's going on out there." He explained hurriedly.

Snape nodded. "I have a personal subscription that I can share with you. If that is not satisfactory then I can order you one of your own. It is up to you."

"Sharing is fine." Harry said, not wanting to cause any inconvenience for the man. "I also have to get some parchment, quills and another set of summer clothes."

"At least." The man said. "Well, let us not waste time. I would like to get this done as quickly as possible, so if you have anything that you would like to do before we go now would be a very good time."

Snape straightened up and folded his arms over his chest.

"No, I'm good." Harry said standing as well.

"I will be back momentarily." Without another word the man apparated away. A few seconds later he reappeared with a pop. His clothes were changed and he carried a full money pouch in one hand. "Shall we?" He led the way out the door.

---

Harry looked around himself in complete confusion. Young adult clothing of every style and size surrounded him, but he did not even know where to start. His Aunt had never given him a choice in what clothes were bought for him and as a result he found himself completely lost inside the young men's section of the Littleton department store.

"Are you finding everything that you need?" Snape asked as he walked up behind the young man.

Harry did not want to admit that he had no idea what he was doing so he pretended to be interested in a maroon and yellow striped shirt on the rack in front of him.

"Yep."

Snape studied him for a moment. "If you need help, you have only to ask me. Remember our talk."

Harry sighed heavily and let the shirt fall back into place. "I guess I do need your help, sir." He murmured. "I'm not sure how to - I mean, I don't know how - Uh, I really have never shopped before."

He winced inwardly and waited for a sarcastic remark about being the Boy-Who-Lived and having everything done for him.

"Was there something particular that you needed? A shirt for example." The man asked evenly.

Harry felt his mouth go dry as he tried to figure out how to verbalize his needs. It had seemed very simple and straight cut when he had been at Snape's house thinking through some of the things that he would need to buy. When he had been in the lab he had thought of only a few things, but now that he was here surrounded by things that he was free to buy at his will, he noticed a lot more that he wanted. He knew that he did not need them, but having the ability to buy them for himself and not be punished for it or feel guilty for having it was almost too much. He wanted more than just the clothes and writing utensils. He wanted toys and games and art supplies. Everything that he had spent nights crying over as a child. Things he had never been able to have before. He felt so selfish that he could not voice these desires. Especially not to the Hogwarts professor.

"I cannot help you if you do not tell me what you want." Snape pressed quietly.

"Everything. I wanted everything." Harry blurted out honestly. He blushed and instantly regretted having said that.

Snape frowned down at the boy. "I highly doubt that. If you have truly never bought anything before in your life then I will help you to find what you most need. Let us start in the summer clothing."

The man placed a hand on Harry's shoulder and maneuvered him around several racks of pants until they reached a section of colorful shorts and tank tops.

"You will want several changes and since I am not sure of your size and I know no tailoring spells, we will have to select several sizes and see which fits you best."

Harry picked out a couple of shirts and Snape guessed at the sizes. Then they did the same with the shorts. By the end, Harry was carrying six pairs to the dressing room that Snape pointed out.

Once inside his changing room, Harry tried on the clothes. The first three shirts were too large and the last too small. Two of them seemed to fit him okay, as far as he was concerned. Sure one was a bit large, but he was used to that with all of Dudley's hand-me downs. He went through the same process with the shorts, but couldn't decide which fit him best. He was not used to the restricted feel of the smallest pair, but the others would have needed a belt to keep up. Settling on the smallest pair of shorts - they were bright orange with a tropical flower pattern - and the larger fitting shirt - it was yellow with orange palm trees - he exited the dressing room.

Snape stood outside next to a tall mirror, his sallow face schooled into a bored expression.

"The shirt is too large, but the shorts look to be a perfect fit." He commented.

Harry frowned. "Actually, I don't like these shorts very much, but the shirt is really comfortable."

They stared at each other for a few seconds. A smile crept across Snape's face at the irony. The man had noticed his young charge's baggy clothing, but he had always thought it was one of the teenage fads of the time, but now looking at him Snape could see how truly uncomfortable it was for him.

"Very well. We will get a size bigger for the shorts. It will make your appearance scruffier than I would like, but these are for you and I have no intention of inviting company over."

Harry was not sure if the man was joking or not. He did not really care if he got to buy the clothes that were comfortable for him. It took them a while to finish shopping in the clothes section and when they were done Harry was shocked by the amount of Snape's money that he had spent so far and he knew that there were still a lot of other things that he wanted to buy.

A jump rope set had caught his eye from across the room and his gaze kept migrating that way. It brought back memories of the Dursley's house, but unlike most, these were good ones. Terra Wright, a neighbor girl, had joined a double dutch team on Harry's tenth birthday and she had liked him a lot. He had snuck over there sometimes when the Dursley’s were gone to help her practice for tournaments. He could still remember the feeling of accomplishment he had felt the first time that he had succeeded in not tripping on the rope. It had been the first real good thing to happen in his entire life. He wondered how she was doing; he had only seen glimpses of her since his arrival in the magical world years before. He hoped that she was doing well, Terra had always been intelligent and sweet. She deserved a good life.

"Mister Potter." Snape snapped impatiently, dragging the boy away from his fond remembrances.

Harry followed the man over to what appeared to be a section of stationary sets.

"You said that you were needing more paper, I am afraid that this is all Littleton has to offer. We can get you some magical parchment by owl if that would be better for you, but for now you can pick one of these." Snape said pointing at the stand of paper.

Harry looked them over - there were only four - and finally picked out a stationary with words: Alter Diem spelled across the top in different fonts. It reminded him of Trelawny for some reason. He smiled as he carried it to the cashiers. On the way there he had to pass the jump rope set and he paused beside it.

"I told you that price was not an issue, and neither is choice. Short of buying the entire store you are free to pick out what you want." Snape spoke up from beside the boy. "If this toy is something that you want, then get it. You are the savior of the wizard world that gives you an incredible amount of leeway and I will not be one to stand in the way of it."

Harry thought for a few seconds longer, struggling against getting the jump ropes. They were something that he wanted badly - if only to remember Terra - but at the same time he knew that he did not need them. In a moment of decision, he reached out and took the plastic case they were in off of the shelf.

"I'll get them." He said.

Snape led the way to the pay counter and they were soon out of the store. Outside it was a beautiful day. Birds sang from their tree top perches and the sun shone out bright and clear with only a small cloud cover to keep the temperature from getting too hot. Harry breathed in deep of the fresh air and smiled brightly. He felt freed by the purchases that weighed his arms down. They represented a milepost in his life - a major change. He, Harry Potter, had made the choices. The fact that it had been Snape who allowed him to do this hit home with incredible power. He looked over at the stern professor, in his black robes and cloak, and felt the walls around his heart weaken. The man's place in Harry's universe had risen substantially over the past month.

"Are you hungry?" Snape asked quietly, not looking over at Harry.

Harry was floored once again by the man. Not only had he never been out to eat - not counting the odd trip to Hogsmead during the school year - it was something that he had always wanted to experience. He wanted to go to a muggle restaurant, like his cousin Dudley had on many an occasion. He would be able to watch the people come and go while he ate. When he was little he dreamed about it.

---

Severus waited for Potter to answer, a strange nervousness welling up inside of him. He did not know why it mattered that the boy should agree, but it did. Severus held his breath not daring to look over at the teenager.

"I would love to."

Severus exhaled in silent relief. "There is a place right around the corner here." He motioned to a dark alleyway. "We'll go through there so that we can shrink your purchases without drawing attention."

Severus led the way into the alley and once they were half way through he stopped and turned to the boy taking his wand out of a pocket. He started to swing his wand in the right pattern for a shrinking spell when a sudden pop alerted them both to an intruder in the alley.

---

Harry's wand was out and in front of him before he could even think about what he was doing - all those months of training the D. A. had paid off. He saw a dark shadow out of the corner of his eye, but before he could focus on it a spell hit his side. He felt all of his bones freeze in place and an instant later he was slumped on the cold, damp ground. He could hear Snape moving above him, firing spells frantically at his attacker. A few seconds later there was a second thud as another body fell. He strained against the spell that held his body in place, but to no avail.

A strange, distorted, grotesque face appeared in front of him and he blinked. It took a few seconds for him to realize that he was staring at a mask. A white mask. A Death Eater mask. Harry screamed in fear, but no sound came out of his frozen mouth. He tried to break out of the binding spell by using his own strong magic, but all he was able to do was twitch a couple of fingers on his right hand.

"Help me!" He tried to say it out loud, but the sounds would not come.

His captor must have guessed his plea; because he leaned down so close to Harry's face that the boy could feel the warmth of his breath.

"No one is going to save you, just like no one could save Voldemort. You are mine now mudblood scum."

Harry knew that voice, he shivered uncontrollably and tried to focus his power on remaining calm. If he were going to escape from Lucius Malfoy then he would need all of his wits about him.

"You are going to die by my wand." Lucius sneered in a voice trained in intimidation.

Harry felt his heart grow cold. He was not afraid of the man, but he was terrified of the implications set down by what he said. Pain, horrible, unstoppable pain had been a part of his life ever since his introduction to the wizard world. He knew how bad it could get and it scared him.

A cold hand touched his shoulder and a sudden whirling sensation let him know that Lucius had used a portkey to transport them both somewhere else. He landed hard, his face slammed against a stone floor. He felt warmth spread down the side of his face and knew it was blood.

"Feel helpless yet, Harry Potter?" The man spat out the name in crazed fervor. "I am the new dark lord for you to fear."

Harry could have rolled his eyes at this drama, even as he felt a thrill of fear. The mention of Voldemort's former title had the opposite affect on Harry than Lucius desired. Instead of causing more terror it brought a hope to the boy. He had defeated the dark lord - he had killed Voldemort. He swallowed against the nausea that churned in his stomach at the thought of the killing curse. He never wanted to feel that again. It had tainted him and no matter what he went through at the hands of Lucius Malfoy, he did not want to even think about using the Unforgivable again.

"Perhaps it would be enjoyable to release you. More enjoyable...for me that is." Lucius said.

Harry heard the man walk around him and then mutter something in Latin then his body slumped forward as simultaneously every muscle and bone was released from the spell's relentless hold. He tried to think of some way he could escape from the man, but his thought became muddled and he couldn't think straight. He recognized the start of another panic attack and he tried to calm himself mentally.

A hard tipped boot kicked him squarely in the ribs and he cried out in pain, his breathing quickening. He gasped and then drew in a deeper breath trying to stop himself from hyperventilating. He knew from his experiences with Snape that it would be very difficult to stop the attack. Panic set on his mind, drowning every thought of escape.

"Stand up, you pathetic mudblood." Lucius demanded angrily, by the tone of his voice he had been ordering this for some time, but Harry had not heard.

The boy tried to rise, but his muscles felt like noodles - flimsy and weak. He tried nonetheless. No matter how scary Lucius could be, Harry knew in his heart that he had survived worse, not that it helped him much at the moment.

"I said - stand - up." The blond haired man physically pulled Harry up and then stepped back letting the boy waver on his feet. "That is more like it, now I can look you in the eye when I kill you." He said with a crazy grin.

Harry raised a heavy arm and wiped at the blood running down his face. "You're insane." He said to the man.

"Perhaps, but I have you to thank for that Harry Potter." He ground out the name like a curse. "The great Harry Potter, 'savior' of us all." He made quotation marks with his fingers as he said this.

Harry knew then that he had to get out of there. Lucius was not just murderous he was mentally unstable. This alone caused Harry's panic to return. He felt his breath catch in his throat and he couldn't breath. To his own surprise, the only person who he could think of in that moment was Snape. He pictured the man's pale, pinched features and black greasy hair. He found himself wishing for the professor to appear and rescue him. The mere thought of Snape seemed to calm him a little and he felt his heartbeat slow minutely.

----

Severus came to in the alley to the sound of an unfamiliar voice calling to him.

"...Mister are you okay? You don't look so good. Should I get you an ambulance? Should I call nine-one-one?" A man's voice asked in concern.

Severus cracked one eye open and winced at the splitting pain that throbbed through his head. He tried to focus on the person standing over him, but all that he could make out was a dark silhouette. It took him a moment to realize this was because he was still in the dark alley and there was not enough light. He propped himself painfully up into a sitting position and hands reached down to help him stand.

"It looks like you were mugged." The man's voice commented.

The potions master shrugged away from the helpful hands and stood still for a few seconds while the dizziness faded away.

"There was a young man with me, did you see him?" Severus asked urgently.

"No just you. Should I call the police? You don't look so good."

The professor shook his head. "No, I'll be fine. It will not be necessary to involve the local authorities."

"If you say so, man."

Severus started unsteadily out of the alley. He had to find Harry before something awful happened to the boy. He knew that the person who had attacked them was Lucius Malfoy; he had recognized the cultured tones and long blond hair. Unsure of his ability to apparate without accidentally splinching himself, Severus was forced to walk the blocks to his house. Luckily he still had enough energy to obliviate the man.

Once inside his own home, his first order of business was to contact Dumbledore. Finding the Headmaster of Hogwarts would be a chore in and of itself since Severus did not know where the man could be found. He started with the office at the school of witchcraft and wizardry.

He tossed a handful of floo powder into his front fireplace and initiated a firechat. He learned from looking around the empty office and calling for the Headmaster that he was indeed not in. Severus' next best option was to send out owls. They would be able to locate the Headmaster and Remus. As much as he disliked the idea of telling that mangy werewolf that he had lost Potter, his concern for the boy outweighed his own pride. Lucius had probably already started torturing Harry.

Severus felt a moment of surprise that he had mentally addressed the boy by his first name. He blamed it on the stress and splitting headache caused not only by the brief Cruciatus curse he had been struck down by, but also by the knowledge that he had failed the boy. He ground his teeth together in thorough irritation with his own short sight. He should have never let Harry into the alley without first making sure that it was cleared and safe. Not that it would have mattered much - a voice in his head argued - after all, Lucius had apparated in.

The Death Eater must have been following them in order to know when they were most vulnerable. Severus felt his heart contract painfully when he thought of all the horrible things he had done to innocent children in his years as a spy. Harry was somewhere with Lucius being put through worse. Severus knew that his former friend must have taken the death of Voldemort very hard and he tried not to think about how that might translate into his dealings with the boy.

He rushed to his library and scrawled a short message. He tapped it with his wand and duplicated it, then went up several flights of stairs to reach the Snape house owlery. It would have been faster to summon Honey and have the house elf do this for him, but he had to be the one to physically tie the notes onto the owl legs, it did not feel right to do it any other way. He was responsible, after all, for the entire situation.

----

Harry had not given up hope that Severus would come and find him and save him. He frowned - when had he started to think of Snape as Severus? He wondered trying to keep his mind off of the pain that shot through his body. Lucius' version of fun had been several rounds of cutting curses followed by a prolonged Cruciatus curse. The Unforgivable had left Harry's body in spasms and ultimately he had lost consciousness. When he had woken up some time later, he had been tied up and alone in the room where they had portkeyed.

He could only see a small portion of the room and it appeared to be bare. No chairs or other furniture was in sight and the walls were also void of pictures of tapestries. Harry felt almost like he was confined inside of a cell. For all he knew, it could have been.

The boy couldn't move most of his body, the curses having taken their toll on his energy reserves. He felt so weak that any second he expected everything to go dark again.

"Where are you Severus?" He asked through cracked and bleeding lips. The empty room stared back at him, mocking him, but he refused to give up hope. Rescue would come; after all of the care that Snape had shown in the past month there was no way that Harry could believe that he wouldn't come to save him. "Hurry."

----

Dumbledore heard a familiar clicking sounds and he glanced from one side to the other in search of the origin. A large gray owl was hovering in place outside of a small window about head height. Dumbledore recognized it as one of Snape's owls. He flicked his hand in that direction and a wandless spell released the window's lock. The owl pushed it open with his beak and flew in; it dropped a note in the Headmaster's hand and then flew back out and disappeared into the sky.

Dumbledore hurriedly opened the letter and saw Snap's scrawling script inside. His brown eyes skimmed quickly over the message, he gasped in horror at the words.

"No." He murmured, the letter slipping from his fingers to fall silently to the floor.

----

Harry heard a door open to his left and footsteps approached. He heard harsh laughter break the silence.

"Now, it is time for you to die. I have a promise to keep after all." Lucius said with a manic grin.

Harry twisted in his bonds as he tried to free himself. His wrists and ankles were already raw and bloody from past escape attempts, but to no avail. They were tied tight - magically knotted, he assumed. With a huff of disgust at his own helplessness, he squirmed onto his back so that he could look up at the Death Eater. The past hours alone in the room had given him time to accept his fear and move on. Hope that Severus would rescue him still filled him.

"You should let me go, Lucius, before something bad happens to you - you never know when a little wild magic might be unleashed." The boy said nonchalantly.

Lucius' lips twisted down in a suspicious frown. "What are you talking about?" He overly articulated the question.

Harry did roll his eyes that time. "You are going to be killed, if you do not let me go right now." His brilliant green eye held a hint of promise as he said this. "Now." He repeated.

He knew from the look of anger on Lucius' face that things were about to get very worse. He tensed in preparation and waited. Snape would come to his rescue - soon he hoped.

----

Remus Lupin sat on his bed, he was staying in an inn at Diagon Alley waiting for news on Harry's location. He had been waiting for a chance to talk with Dumbledore for almost two weeks. The old man had been too busy to see him or anyone else from the order and as a result Remus had no idea where his best friends son was being kept for safety. He had already searched the Hogwarts castle and grounds; contacted Minerva and Madam Pomfrey and tried to find Snape. The latter he was unable to do, it seemed that the potions master had disappeared from the face of the earth and no one knew where to find him.

Remus could not blame the man for having left. It would not surprise the werewolf if he did not return. Severus Snape had been a double agent for two of the most powerful secret organizations for almost twenty years the toll that must have taken on his personal life would have been enormous. Remus respected the man for his part in keeping Harry safe from Voldemort in the last several years. Even though he had never - and probably would never - say it to the man's face. He felt a compulsion to hold back from admiring the man in memory of his best friend James Potter.

The sound of pecking drew his attention to a speckled white owl outside his bedroom window. He stood and walked over to unlock the latch and let it inside.

A message fell to his feet and then the bird swooped back out and disappeared around the corner of the building. Remus leaned down with a wince of pain - the last full moon had been less than kind to him - and retrieved the piece of parchment paper. An inked scrawl spread out inside and it took him a moment to decipher the words, when he did a strangled cry filled the air. He ran to the nightstand to get his wand and then apparated away. Harry's life was in danger and he had to save him.

----

Severus wrung his hands as he paced back and forth in the library of his home in front of the fireplace. Over two hours had passed since he had sent the messages and he had still to hear back from either Dumbledore or Remus Lupin. He was beginning to worry that Harry would be dead before he had done one thing to rescue him - these kinds of thoughts had been swirling in his mind for the past hour. He was on the verge of going out to search for the boy alone, even though there was no way for him to locate Harry.

A location spell was more than useless at the amount of distance that separated them and the only wizard with enough power to make a mental connection was Albus Dumbledore. Severus felt worry eating him away inside. There had to be something that he could do! He reached the end of the room and turned on his heel with a frustrated growl.

A ward alert at the fireplace signaled an incoming wizard. The potions master rushed over just as the Headmaster's body arrived in a bright flash of green fire. The old man's face was pale and he clutched Severus' hands in a death grip.

"Have you heard no news, Severus?" He asked, his voice rough.

Snape shook his head. "I have been waiting for your response. I have no way of tracking Harry - I tried several spells but he must be out of range. I also sent out an owl to contact Remus, I thought that he could be of use."

Dumbledore nodded. "Yes. Yes, that is good." He gave a heavy sigh and seemed to shrink before Snape's very eyes. "I knew that Lucius was in Littleton, but I did not think that he could penetrate your defenses. I was going to come later today to inform you of his arrival."

"You knew he was here and you did not so much as owl me!" Anger flashed in dark eyes. "You fool."

Dumbledore hung his head and opened his mouth to say something, but before he could a harsh rapping on the front door interrupted. Snape went to answer the door and returned with a concerned Remus in tow.

"I came as soon as I got your message, Severus." The werewolf said, he sounded out of the breath. "How long has Harry been missing? Who took him? How far away is he? Why haven't you gone after him already?"

Severus held up a hand to stall any further questions. "I will tell you everything in a moment." He turned to Dumbledore. "First, I need to know if you can sense or communicate with him mentally?"

The old wizard closed his eyes he appeared to be concentrating. After a moment he opened his eyes. "I believe that I can, but it will take a few moments for me to locate him - I can feel him already. Give me a moment."

Snape and Remus waited with bated breath while the old man fell into a quiet meditation.

----

Harry spat blood out onto the floor and rolled over onto his stomach. His back felt like it was on fire. A burning spell had eaten through his shirt and several layers of the skin on his back. The teenager felt uncontrollable anger take control as he tried to break out of the bonds for the hundredth time. If he could just get his hands loose he would kill the man. All reservations he had held in place since Voldemort's death were no longer an issue for him. He could feel the power of the killing curse inside of him with no medium to escape through. He itched for a wand, any wand. He wanted to kill the man.

"Don't look so upset." Lucius said from where he stood a few feet away, his wand pointed at the boy. "This is much more fun than killing you right away...for me." The man laughed.

That was it, Harry couldn't take the flippant threats anymore. He struggled to his knees and through pure willpower he pushed his body up of the floor until he was standing with his legs still tied tight and his arms at his side.

"I am going to kill you, Lucius. The same way that I killed Voldemort, the same way that I killed Quirrel, the same way that I killed-." Harry's voice broke off as his anger grew inside of him. "You - are - dead."

//Harry, can you hear me?//

The mental voice intruded on Harry's mind and he almost fell over from surprise. His body wavered dangerously, but he was able to regain his balance.

//Who are you?//

//It is I, Albus Dumbledore. Harry, my boy, I need you to hold on for a little bit longer. I have found your location and we are coming. Just hold on a little longer.//

Then the presence in his mind was gone.

//Wait! Who is "we"?//

There was no reply Dumbledore had gone. Harry looked over at Lucius - smiling cruelly at him - and tried not to let his relief show. The anger remained, but tempered somewhat by the knowledge that this would soon be over. He saw the blond man's wand come up in a split second and before he could even prepare for the next spell, he was being knocked back on the floor. The jarring impact left him breathless; it felt all the skin on his back had been ripped off. He screamed.

"Such a soothing sound." Lucius purred. "How about we do that again."

Harry's eyes widened in pain as his body was lifted suddenly into the air a few inches and then dropped suddenly. He screamed again, his body arching up. He screamed until his lungs ran out of air. Gray tinged the edge of his vision and he tried to suck in another breath, but could not. Anger warred with panic and he felt his magic flood through him. It was not like anything he had felt before - the power of it frightened him.

"Scream for me." Lucius whispered in his ear.

Harry jerked away and blinked. Tears streamed down his face as he fought for air. In another second he would pass out.

There was a loud thump as the door burst open and hit the wall. Then three familiar voices were shouting curses and counter spells. Their words blurred together as Harry tried desperately to gain enough strength to aim his hand at Lucius. With a cry of agony mixed with anger Harry pronounced the first word that came to his mind.

"Expellio."

Lucius's eyes widened in surprise as his wand went flying out of his hand and smashed to pieces against the far wall. Harry felt like it had taken all of his magical and physical energy to create that single spell. He watched as if from a distance as Dumbledore subdued Lucius with a binding spell.

----

Remus and Severus ran to Harry's side. The boy's head lolled limply against Severus when the potions master propped him up. The boy was unconscious. Remus checked tapped the bonds with his wand and they disappeared in a flash of light. They carefully turned Harry over.

"Oh, dear Merlin!" Remus exclaimed.

The boy's back looked like a slab of raw meat, there was no skin left to cover the muscle beneath and the edges of the back were blackened and burned. Blood soaked through Harry's knee from where a cutting curse had hit him. It was amazing he was still alive.

"He needs a healer." Severus said, his eyes shadowed with guilt as he surveyed the wounds.

"Indeed." Dumbledore spoke up. "You two must get him to St. Mungo's. Go, I will take care of Lucius Malfoy."

Severus picked up Harry in his arms and with a murderous glare at Lucius' still form he and Remus apparated to directly outside St. Mungo's.

---

Harry opened his eyes and then blinked against the bright light that assaulted his senses. He groaned and rolled over on his side - or tried to. His back felt numb and he could not move very far. Nothing hurt, but his muscles would not respond. He fell back against a soft feather pillow and tried to remember how he had gotten there. With a jolt he remembered Lucius and the death threats.

"Harry, my boy, are you alright?"

Harry turned his head as far to the side as he could and smiled when he saw the Headmaster walking into the room through an open door. The old man waved his wand and muttered something under his breath. A tray of soup with a cup of juice appeared and hovered a few inches in the air above the bed.

"Where is Lucius?" Harry asked.

Dumbledore hung his head and hesitated before answering. "Harry, it has been four months since Lucius Malfoy kidnapped and subsequently tortured you. He was Kissed over three months ago, after a trial."

Harry was speechless.

"I am glad to report that the last of the Death Eaters have been captured, tried and Kissed. You no longer have any enemies in the world of magic." The Headmaster tried to smile, but sadness clouded his eyes. "I am so sorry, Harry. This entire situation is my fault and I feel that I have failed you." Wetness slid down his cheeks. He reached forward to take Harry's hand in his own shaking one. "Your magical core was overtaxed when you succeeded in throwing the wandless spell...your body had already been so mistreated - I am afraid that it caused you to fall into a very deep coma."

It took a few moments for all of this information to sink in.

"Snape...Remus?" The boy asked. He could remember hearing them seconds before falling unconscious.

The Headmaster stroked his beard nervously. "Severus returned home some time ago when it became obvious that his help was no longer required - all of the healing potions that he tried had little to no affect on your healing progress. Lupin." He sucked in a steadying breath. "Remus is dead."

The teenager felt like his entire world came to a stop at those three words. He stared straight ahead as the Headmaster explained how it had happened. A stray killing curse during the last Death Eater raid. He had died a hero, that was what Dumbledore said, but none of that mattered to Harry. What mattered was that his only connection with his father - the last family that he had - was dead. Dead and gone for weeks. Harry let his eyes fall closed and felt a single tear track down the side of his face. He made no move to wipe it away.

----

Severus Snape stared out of a library window, his thoughts on the Potter boy. It had been four months since that day in the alley when Lucius had taken Harry away and tortured him to within an inch of his life. Snape still had nightmares about the horrible wounds he had received. He shook his head.

"Oh, Harry, I am so sorry." He said aloud, his heart breaking a little more with each breath. "I am so sorry."

No matter how many times he thought it, no matter how many times he murmured it in his dreams, it made no difference. The boy was still in a coma at St. Mungo's unable to see or hear or feel anything. Guilt burdened Severus down and made him feel much older than his 32 years. He turned his gaze up and looked outside where all the sun shone bright and a bird sang gaily.

Severus covered his face with his hands and sobbed for the terrible loss of Harry's childhood. Voldemort's prejudice had given the boy no chance at innocence. Tears of guilt and pain and empathy fell from his eyes and soaked into the blackness of his robe.

----

Harry turned onto his side away from the door. Dumbledore had summoned the healers some time ago and they had removed whatever numbing agent had been used to numb his muscles. Dumbledore had left to inform the other order members - and the general wizard world - that Harry was going to recover.

Harry stared out in front of him and wished that Remus could have been there. A tear slid down his face and soaked into the white pillow resting under his head. Remus was dead. He felt guilty for having survived when his father's best friend - his own hero - had not. Another tear followed the first and then he lost control of his emotions. He sobbed quietly, his shoulders shaking as he re-lived every memory that he had of the werewolf.

"I'm sorry, Remus." His choked voice came out as barely a whisper.

He could only imagine the pain Remus must have felt at the hands of a Death Eater. The fact that he had been willing to use a killing curse such a short while ago - in his reckoning of time - made him almost physically ill. He just wanted to get away from the reality of what had happened. First his parents and Sirius, then his Aunt and Uncle and now Remus. He cried harder, his breathing ragged. It did not feel like anything would ever stop the emotional pain that he was feeling.

----

"How did he react to the news of Remus?" Severus asked anxiously.

Dumbledore set his teacup down on the table and shook his head. "Not well. He has not said a word in over a week. I am concerned for him and I would like you to go and talk to him, Severus."

Snape did not understand what he could do to help the situation and said as much. Dumbledore smiled softly.

"I was linked to Harry's mind before the rescue. I saw just how much you mean to him, Severus. In his mind, it was you that he was waiting for to rescue him."

Snape raised an eyebrow. "What?" He asked incredulously. "Me?"

The Headmaster nodded gravely. "Yes. Your attitude towards him during the beginning of the summer convinced him that you were not all bad - that, in fact, you were a very noble man."

Severus turned his head away. "I was hardly 'noble'. Tolerant perhaps."

"Either way, he was impressed with your treatment of him and he trusts you."

"I was also impressed with his lack of..." He searched for the right word.

"Spoiled ego?" The Headmaster suggested with a slight chuckle.

"Yes." Snape acknowledged. "I had always pictured him as the son of James Potter. Every time that I looked at him I would see his father in those eyes. Each time he spoke I was hearing James’s taunts." The potions master ducked his head, blushing. "I even saw James in the boy's mannerisms."

"Yes, there is a lot of his parents in him, but do not forget that he was raised very differently than them. He did not have a rich pureblood family or caring muggle parents. Harry had Voldemort and an abusive Uncle. I must admit that I sometimes wonder if I made the right choice letting him grow up under his Aunt's protection." He said the last word with a frown.

Snape thought about this for a second. When he looked up there was a determined light in his dark eyes.

"I would like to invite Harry to come and live with me."